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Healthy Street Corn Pasta Salad

Healthy street corn salad made with elote-style charred corn, cotija cheese, cilantro, and lime in a creamy Greek yogurt dressing. Pasta shells or rotini get tossed until glossy, then chilled so every bite tastes bright and cohesive.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 435
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and charred corn
  • 1 lb pasta shells or rotini
  • 4 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen; char until lightly blackened
  • 1 jalapeño diced
Creamy dressing and toppings
  • 0.5 cup Greek yogurt
  • 0.25 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese crumbled; reserve half for topping
  • 0.25 cup cilantro chopped; reserve for topping
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook pasta and char corn
  1. Cook the pasta shells or rotini according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet until hot, then char the corn kernels for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly blackened.
Make dressing
  1. Whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth and pourable.
Assemble and chill
  1. In a large bowl, combine pasta, charred corn, and diced jalapeño with half the cotija cheese.
  2. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to coat until glossy.
  3. Refrigerate for 1 hour to let flavors meld, then top with remaining cotija and cilantro right before serving.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the pasta well after draining so it doesn’t clump during chilling. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; the salad is not ideal for freezing. For a lighter option, swap the mayonnaise for an equal amount of additional Greek yogurt to keep it creamy while reducing fat.